


Identity Crisis

by Cherry_Red_Ink



Series: Darts and Blasters and Flamethrowers, oh my! [5]
Category: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-06
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-12 01:44:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2091150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherry_Red_Ink/pseuds/Cherry_Red_Ink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of the bounty hunter's and Mako's final run-in with Coral on Nar Shaddaa is not pretty. And if Shai'yera didn't know any better, she'd blame Nar Shaddaa for it.</p><p>Spoilers for Mako's Companion Mission and Conversations as well as multple references to the overall Bounty Hunter Class Missions involving Nar Shaddaa.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Identity Crisis

She isn’t superstitious, but Shai’yera has come to the conclusion that Nar Shaddaa has got to be cursed or something. Every visit to the moon orbiting Nal Hutta has proven disastrous: the deaths of Mako’s friend Anuli and later on that of Hedarr Soongh, her own celebration-turned-massacre by a Jedi who didn’t know when to call it quits and now, most recently, their encounter with Coral, live and in the flesh.

They say what happens on Nar Shaddaa stays on Nar Shaddaa and for good reason, too – tourism wouldn’t survive otherwise. 

The bounty hunter doesn’t plan on telling anyone anything about their latest visit to the Huttese moon – not now, not ever. But she can’t ignore the fact that Gault and Torian wonder (rightfully so) about what is wrong with their slicer. It is getting a tad difficult to dodge the questioning looks shot her way and Mako acting quite un-Mako-ish makes things worse. She can only try to imagine the thoughts running rampant in her friend’s head and much to her own frustration Shai’yera can’t do anything about it. Thoughts cannot be shot up, burned to a crisp or beaten to a pulp, but she would if she could. (That has to count for something, right?)

On the other hand it is very possible and it would in all likelihood proof very cathartic to do all these things to Coral, who unlike Mako’s thoughts is quite tangible (and breakable). But she is in the SIS’s custody, locked up who-knows-where, and assuming that she is still alive, inflicting injuries on her won’t make the things she said to Mako unsaid. And while she may not be the brains of the outfit, Shai’yera isn’t stupid, either. She’s seen a man shoot a copy of himself to start a new life, a copy he obtained on Nar Shaddaa (of all places) and that a bioscan accepted as the real deal without a problem or even a shadow of a doubt. She knows it is possible. And an organization like the SIS, that can mass produce a near-untraceable cyborg implant granting a direct uplink to the HoloNet, should easily have the means – financially and scientifically – to do the same. Add in all the other things Coral said and you find yourself connecting the dots, even if you don’t want to. And for her friend’s sake, Shai’yera really and very badly **does _not_ want to**. Not at all. In fact, it’s the dots doing the connecting almost on their own and she’s powerless to stop them.

There is a very real, very high possibility that Mako is in fact a clone. 

It is a lot to wrap one’s mind around even without being the person in question. Not that Mako is in any way questionable. She’s the best slicer Shai’yera has ever met, a gifted medic, a talented shot, a dear friend. She could be Sith and it probably (hopefully) wouldn’t change a thing.

But she isn’t sure whether this is of relevance because she isn’t the one questioning twenty years’ worth of memories right now – Mako is. And since she doesn’t have a direct uplink into her friend’s mind, there’s no telling what exactly is going on inside that head of hers or how twisted it really is. 

The hunter wants to talk about it. 

The slicer doesn’t. The slicer wants space.

The rest of the crew – droid included – wants to know what the kark is going on, but only Mako gets what she wants and withdraws from the ship’s day to day workings almost completely and almost instantly.

It comes as no surprise – at least not to the hunter’s – that after two weeks of isolation, Mako joins them for breakfast one morning, all packed up and ready to go. Make that: ready to leave. 

But before Mako opens her mouth, Shai’yera opens hers : “No.” 

All eyes– even the droid’s – swivel to her…

“You don’t understand, Shai.” … and bounce back to Mako…

“I do.” … then back to the hunter…

“Then why—“ … eyes on the confused slicer…

“I simply don’t care.” … on the hunter…

“Oh, great! You mean it’s of no importance if I—“ … to a slowly angry becoming Mako…

“That’s right, it isn’t –“ … to an equally slowly angry becoming Shai…

“I’m not some tool for you to use, Shai!” … to an indignant Mako…

“You’re not leaving because you think I’m treating you like a tool!” … to an impatient Shai…

“No, I’m –“… back to the angry Mako…

“Damn it, Mako, you’re my friend! That’s all I care about!” … to briefly gaze at the hunter and then finally rest on the slicer, all packed up and ready to leave their little rag-tag group for stars-knows-where, and so confused and relieved at the same time there’s no telling what exactly is the cause for the tears in her eyes.

“Ladies. We need to talk. I usually don’t ask this kind of question but this once, and for the two of you, I am willing to make an exception. So please bear this in mind when you contemplate whether you want to answer or not, alright? What. Is. Going. On?” 

Gault calmly looks at either females. Torian stoically looks at Gault.

According to 2V’s internal chronometer, exactly 12.5 seconds pass before his mistress and her second-in-command exchange a look and a smile.

“Nothing,” they both answer unisono.

“I’m just itching for some action,” Mako adds with a loopsided grin and although it’s an obvious lie, the Devaronian and the Mandalorian signal their acceptance of it with a curt nod.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any of the characters displayed in this piece of fiction. I am merely bowering them for the entertainment of my readers and myself with not profit other than (hopefully) personal pleasure in reading and writing being gained by all parties involved. If this piece of fiction is deemed offensive by the legal owners of Star Wars: The Old Republic, their legal representatives or the website administration it shall of course be removed with full apologies extended.


End file.
